Collapsible magnetic tape cassette

Abstract

A collapsible magnetic tape cassette includes a housing having collapsible front, rear, and side panels that permit the housing to be presented in a collapsed, essentially flat form for storage, packaging, and mailing purposes and that also permit the user to later expand the housing to a normal erected form for playback purposes. A loop of magnetic tape is stored and guided within the cassette housing in a horizontal or flat position and is then guided to the vertical position as it exits the cassette housing during playback.

I claim: 
     
       1. A magnetic tape cassette expandable from a collapsed form of minimum height for storage and shipping to an erected form of normal height for use with a playback machine, the magnetic tape cassette comprising: a housing comprising spaced apart top and bottom panels, left and right side panels, a rear panel, and a front panel, said left and right side panels and said rear panel each being connected to said top and bottom panels and each being adjustable in height, said front panel being hingedly attached to said bottom panel for motion between a vertical position when said magnetic tape cassette is in said erected form and an inwardly directed, substantially horizontal position when said magnetic tape cassette is in said collapsed form, said front panel including a tape entry aperture and a tape exit aperture; and   tape holder means positioned within said housing and attached to said bottom panel, said tape holder means being operative for storing a substantial portion of a continuous loop of magnetic tape in a horizontal position such that the plane of the magnetic tape is parallel to said top and bottom panels, said tape holder means including tape guide means for guiding said loop of magnetic tape to a vertical position for exiting said housing at said tape exit aperture and for guiding said loop of magnetic tape to the horizontal position following entry into said housing at said tape entry aperture.   
     
     
       2. A magnetic tape cassette as in claim 1 wherein said left and right side panels and said rear panel are each formed to flex along a horizontal line intermediate their height to permit said magnetic tape cassette to be expanded and collapsed. 
     
     
       3. A magnetic tape cassette as in claim 1 wherein: said tape guide means comprises a plurality of fixed guide rollers defining a tape storage path; and   said tape holder means further comprises a spring-loaded sliding roller guide for eliminating slack in said loop of magnetic tape that occurs when said magnetic tape cartridge is removed from said playback machine.   
     
     
       4. A magnetic tape cassette as in claim 1 wherein said housing comprises a cardboard material. 
     
     
       5. A magnetic tape cassette as in claim 1 wherein said housing comprises a plastic material. 
     
     
       6. A magnetic tape cassette as in claim 1 wherein said housing is folded from a flat sheet of stock material. 
     
     
       7. A magnetic tape cassette as in claim 4 wherein said housing is folded from a flat sheet of stock material. 
     
     
       8. A magnetic tape cassette as in claim 1 wherein said continuous loop of magnetic tape comprises video tape. 
     
     
       9. A magnetic tape cassette as in claim 1 wherein said continuous loop of magnetic tape comprises audio tape. 
     
     
       10. A magnetic tape cassette as in claim 1 wherein said continuous loop of magnetic tape comprises computer tape. 
     
     
       11. A magnetic tape cassette as in claim 1 wherein said front and rear panels each include tab means adapted for being grasped by the user to expand said magnetic tape cartridge from said collapsed form to said erected form. 
     
     
       12. A magnetic tape cassette as in claim 11 wherein each of said tab means is detachable from said front and rear panels following expansion of said magnetic tape cartridge to said erected form. 
     
     
       13. A method for preparing a collapsible magnetic tape cassette for use with a playback machine, the method comprising: providing a magnetic tape cassette having a housing expandable in height from a collapsed form of minimum height for storage and shipping to an erected form of normal height for use with said playback machine;   storing a substantial portion of a continuous loop of magnetic tape within said housing in, a horizontal position;   expanding said housing to said erected form; and   guiding said continuous loop of magnetic tape stored within said housing in said horizontal position to a vertical position for exiting said housing at a tape exit aperture therein and guiding said continuous loop of magnetic tape to said horizontal position following entry into said housing at a tape entry aperture therein.